The Uchiha Side
by thebloodinkpen
Summary: We all know the story of 'the era of warring states' as told by Hashirama Senju. The Uchiha side of the story lies yet under shadows. But now let the story be unravelled and the truth unfold. Discover how it all begin at the heart of the Uchiha clan.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER I

THE SCROLL

"But we need to be cautious as their prowess is considered equal to ours." said the commander in chief, Kosuke Uchiha. A man in his mid-twenties with steel body, enveloped by a loose navy blue outfit and hairs that draped like a black curtain, straight up to his ears. Explaining his devised strategy to Madara Uchiha, the young clan leader, who listened to it in stark concentration with his eyes shut and face that did not contain any expression in any case. His elbows place against the top of the low-lying table and hands joined together to form a platform where his chin rested he sat facing Kosuke. A map was laid on the table. The whole afternoon they had been discussing their plan and were finally over with.

Kosuke had ended his talk and was waiting now for the leader's remark on it. But now only silence surrounded them, except of a little chirp of a bird outside, or the giggle of the clan's kids running in the streets.

So deeply immersed in his thoughts he was, going through the entire plan from the start to the end without twitching of even one muscle, that it appeared as if he had drifted deep into sleep but he had not. His face was like that of an infant-peaceful and innocent, but it in actuality behind that pious face was a sharp and clever mind of a prodigal Uchiha, recalling every step.

Kosuke unaware of this was continuously staring at him with heavy doubt in his narrow eyes. His ears were eager to hear the remarks of the leader. The toes of his legs, crossed on the floor, were twiddling with each other, while his left hand was busy rubbing his right-arm sleeve.

"Well, the plan seems alright. Send a message to the Intel unit," said Madara finally, opening his eyes "we need to gather more information regarding their dojutsu."

"Yes, Lord Madara!" replied the commander, who was relieved, at last his mind was calm. "I will do that." he added.

"Kosuke collect all his items from the table and got up. He did a sincere bow to Madara. Just when he was about to reach the door, the sound of a scratch came from outside. It came from the direction of the wooden door panel of the room, which was located on the right side of the table and opened into the little open space of the house. Madara, being familiar with the sound, identified it at once. He heaved a sigh. He knew it was one of the tiger summoning, sent by their clan's intelligence unit, scratching on the door to alert them of its arrival.

"Kosuke, I would suggest that you better stay here, it will definitely save you some trouble."

"Pardon me, but I didn't get it, Lord."

"You will soon."

Madara got up from his place. His dark black hairs that had rested on the right side of his face moved slightly as the summer breeze swirled its way inside, when he opened the sliding door. He laid his eyes on the wild animal. He then moved his gaze towards the wooden panel where a fresh scar rested with the rest.

"Hopefully the information you bring is worth the destruction you have done." Madara said, taking the scroll from its collar.

"So that's where those marks come from." said Kosuke light heartedly.

"That's right."

The scroll read 'urgent' on it. His eyebrows contracted, changing their usual laid back appearance. Without any further delay he opened it, and it read as:

 _Lord Madara_

 _There is an internal conflict going in the intelligence division of the clan. I, unfortunately, cannot give you any further information regarding the issue as there was a possibility that this scroll might have never reached you, but if it has then reach the Kaburi forest, on the 14_ _th_ _of this month at 1 o'clock. Be sure not to bring anyone with you, no matter how trustworthy the might be. Most importantly; do not at any cost, come unarmed and increase the surveillance of the clan, for even I am not sure what might happen next._

 _When you reach at the forest, remember not to use any jutsu, until and unless your life is threatened. The use of any jutsu might turn against our favor. Immediately leave after receiving this letter, no time can be wasted. I will come to you myself when you have arrived at the forest._

"What is it, Lord Madara?" questioned the commander curiously.

"Well, apparently it looks like some people need to be reminded of my power."

"What happened, Lord Madara?"

"Read it for yourself." said Madara handing out the scroll to Kosuke, "I will be getting ready to leave. Do as commanded in the letter and send a response saying I'm on my way."

"Y-yes, Lord Madara." said he timidly.

Madara left the room calmly and went to changed to war attire, whilst Kosuke remained in the room reading the scroll and then writing a response.

After a while, Madara came back in the room. Fixing his gloves into his hands he entered the room to find Kosuke still there.

"You didn't left, Kosuke?"

"Lord Madara, I was waiting for you, I was meaning to ask you something. Are you sure you want to go alone? It might be dangerous to go alone."

"Doesn't it say that it would be _dangerous_ if I _came with_ someone else?"

"It does Lord, but what if it is manipulated and they purposely want you to come alone?"

"And you think I won't be able to take them on by myself?"

"No, Lord Madara, when did I say anything like that?"

"Don't fear them, Kosuke, I single handily can take them out the whole unit."

"Of course you can big-brother." said Izuna, Madara's 16-years-old brother, who had just returned from his practice.

Standing outside the same sliding door, completely drenched in sweat, panting lightly with sweat dripping from his brow, he asked his big brother, "But elder brother, where are you going?"

"There is some work I need to take care of. Just something trivial, certainly something you don't need to be bothered with."

'Ah yes, an internal conflict going in an important unit of the clan is definitely a trivial thing.' thought Kosuke to himself, 'Does nothing ever worries him a little?' he sighed.

"Get some rest Izuna," said the elder brother, "I will be back soon."

Izuna nodded his head in affirmation and stepped inside the house. "Take care!" he said, as Madara picked up his gudbani.

"You don't need to worry about me, Izuna." he responded with a faint smile on his face. "Come on Kosuke, let us go."

"Is he going with you as well?" questioned Izuna.

"No he is not, but he will have to take care of the village while I am gone, isn't that right, Kosuke?"

"Y-yes sir!"

"Well then, let us proceed." said Madara and left the room. They both proceeded towards the entry gate of the house. They wore their sandals before leaving the house.

They walked together. None of them spoke a word, utter silence surrounded them. The weather was sweet; the summer breeze was blowing, kissing their faces. After walking a few metres, Kosuke could not hold his curiosity any longer and asked:

"Lord Madara there is something I-"

"Why didn't I tell Izuna about it? Is that what you are wondering?"

"I am, indeed."

"If I would have then Izuna, knowing that my life could be danger, wouldn't have let me go alone. He might have even followed me and I can never risk his life. Therefore, I thought it better to leave him aloof. That reminds me," said he in a comparatively lighter tone, "have you taken care of everything?"

"As mentioned in the scroll I have made arrangements to increase the security at the borders. And by today evening, every household shall be informed of the dangers."

"Very well then."

"When will you be returning, Lord Madara?"

"I cannot say for sure. It depends on how much time it will take to dissolve the issues. I shall return as soon as everything is settled."

They were only a few meters away from the entrance gate, when they parted their ways. Madara went straight towards it, while Kosuke took a turn in the direction of his home after bidding Madara.

The weather was favourable for travelling. And according to Madara's calculation, it would take him nearly ten hours to reach his destination. He had decided not to halt at any point whatsoever. The young leader would have betted his own life on the line to protect the Uchiha clan, that is how determined he was. This was indeed one of the many reasons why he was chosen as the clan's leader, other than his marvellous strength and abilities. Time and again, he had proved that he was worthy of the position. And yet again was on his way to prove so.

Madara passed the gate and went into the forest. He leaped from one tree branch to another. His eyes were firm and fearless. He was going swiftly through the forest. It seemed as if nothing could stop him, and it would not be wrong to say it was so. He had just being his long journey.


	2. Chapter 2

**NOTE FROM AUTHOR:**

I am immensely happy seeing the feedback on my previous chapter. Thank you so much for such great responses! I will keep trying to delivery even better content every week. Hope you like this chapter as well. You can follow me on instagram the_ghost_of_uchiha

 **CHAPTER 2**

 **THE FINDINGS**

Kosuke was on his way to home, walking down the lanes of the clan. His mind was engrossed with the current issues. He was worried about Madara. It wasn't that he doubted his abilities or skills but he was still young and to fight the whole of the Intel unit, if he has to, won't be an easy task. Although Kosuke was relieved that there were some within the unit who worked in favour of the unity of clan, the proof of which was the scroll he had received. Yet he was worried about two things: first, the possibility of the scroll being sent to fool them; secondly, the ease of corrupting people.

One can be easily pushed down the wrong track by manipulation. It's hard to stay on the side of righteousness. The way to evil might be easy to travel but its destination only brings disturbance, destruction and ruin. The evil path is often tempting and luring. That's what he was afraid of. He feared what if the people in favour were made to turn against them? He felt like he shouldn't have let Madara go on his own but it was the order of the clan's leader to let him. He was puzzled. He was thinking of sending a small troupe of men after Madara, just to be sure. After all his life was more valuable than others, at least that is what he believed and preached.

He had reached his home. He opened the gate and entered inside the genkan. He was taking off his sandals when his wife, Emiko, came to him.

"Izuna has arrived and wishes to meet you." she said with her delicate voice.

He stopped abruptly and said, "Izuna?" bewilderedly.

He looked her in her hazel brown eyes questioningly. She shook her head in affirmation slowly and blinked slightly.

"When he came, I told him you weren't at home; in fact you were at his house."

"Then?" he questioned.

"He said that by the time he reached there, you had already left with Lord Madara. He insisted on waiting for you. So I let me. He has been waiting for you for the last 15 minutes. Isn't it odd that he reached before you even though you had left early?"

He replied plainly, "Why didn't you ask him how he did that?" and resumed to take his sandals off.

"Well I thought it won't be nice asking him something like that, and what if it was urgent? Plus he was panting, so I assumed that he might have come running."

Kosuke started to pace towards the living room, situated on the right. Emiko paced along. She wanted to know if Kosuke knew why Izuna came here, thus she asked her husband, to which he responded, "I am not sure, but I think I know why he has come here."

Saying so he slid the door and stepped in the room where Izuna sat, with his back facing Kosuke. He turned his head of black to see Kosuke. Calling out his name, he said that he was waiting for him. Kosuke walked across the room to reach the other end and sat down. He had a stern expression on his face; it was clearly stated that he was down for business.

"Yes, I have been informed of that. So, what is it? What did you want to talk about?" said he, bluntly.

"I would be surprised, if you didn't know what it is." Izuna gave a sharp look to Kosuke.

"I have strict orders: not to tell you about it. Lord Madara doesn't want you to know. He himself said that there is no need for you to indulge in it. It is nothing of importance.''

"If it were so trivial, he wouldn't have gone so prepared and given you _strict orders._ Perhaps he would have sent a substitute. And if it were so menial then why hide it from me? It doesn't add up." His tone grew darker, "I might be young, but I am not a fool."

"Izuna, if you think I will tell you, I will not. I cannot."

"I thought so." he said as he stood up. "I just wanted to make sure that you say no."

He got up, turned around and was about to open the door, when Kosuke said:

"You are going to find it out yourself, aren't you?" he said and sighed.

"You are good at guessing, now aren't you?" he said and smirked.

He flung the door open and found Emiko, who had just arrived, standing with a tray in her hand, on which a tea-pot with tea-cups were placed neatly.

"Are you leaving? I made some tea for you."

"I am sorry, but I have to leave. I cannot delay this any longer. Forgive me."

He swiftly made his way across the gallery. His feet thudding against the wooden floor. Emiko stared at him in silence. Kosuke got up and approached Emiko and stood beside her watching Izuna leave. Izuna opened the gate hurriedly and went outside. Emiko glanced at her husband. He returned her glance. She raised the tray a little and said, "Tea?" with a slight smile. He heaved a sigh, closed his eyes and nodded his head. He re-entered the room with Emiko. They both sat around the table and she put the tray on it. Placing the cups in front she started pouring the tea into it. Kosuke looked worried.

"It won't be difficult for him to find out everything. After all, you have decided to inform every household about the news, you think he will not get informed about it?"

"How do _you_ know about it?"

"They came here to inform me too." She putted the teapot back on the tray and held her glass.

"Ah-yes. Well I told them to tell everyone not to discuss any of this with Izuna. Didn't they tell you that? Don't tell me you have already told him!"

"No, I have not. And they did tell me. But do you really think that not even one person in the whole clan would tell him?" She gave him a clever questioning look with one brow raised.

He didn't have the answer to it. He sipped his tea from his cup while his eyes were searching for the answer-space out. Emiko was correct after all, someone could indeed tell him about it. And even if no one does, he could find it out himself, he was considered by most the best choice for the position Kosuke held, but was denied because he was thought to be quite young for the responsibilities that came along. That was one reason that Kosuke believed no one would tell him, but again the possibility is always there.

"I am doing whatever I possibly can to prevent getting the news to him." he told her, "Even after this, he finds out then it doesn't raises questions on my prevention, rather is proves his ability."

"Well, whatever floats your boat." She said.

They both drank tea from there cups, and when finished she placed them back in the tray, tied her dark brown hairs and went to do the chores. While Kosuke decided to rest for some time.

It was evening by now. Izuna was still constantly trying to find out what the message was. By now, he had asked almost all his friends, but they all either said that they do not know or the more truthful ones said that they cannot disclose. They were his friends but yet they were more loyal towards the orders. This made Izuna contented yet disappointed at the same time. He was gratified because they were faithful towards his brother and disappointed as his hopes of finding the information were depleting.

It was almost night-time, the sun was about to set. One of the clansmen came to Kosuke to inform him what he had just witnessed. Upon hearing he wasn't surprised much. He was expecting something of this sort.

"I don't think there is any point in stopping him. He would do as his wishes. He's no different from his elder brother."

Izuna had left. He had gone after Madara when he found out his life was being endangered. It was quite remarkable that he came to know of such minor detail. Everyone was astounded; no one had a clue on how he got to know of it. Such details were not known to everyone, yet he got to know it.

He was nearly 4 hours behind his big brother. His speed was higher than usual; he had to reach his brother; he couldn't let anything happen to him. He had a stern expression and determination in his heart. He really was like his big brother. But even at this speed it would take him at least nine hours to reach the forest.

The sky was filled with stars, it was quite all around and the moon was at its peak. It was mid-night. Madara had reached the forest at exactly when the date changed to the one mentioned in the scroll. The moonlight was peeping through the canopy of the forest. Tired, as he was from travelling continuously for the last ten hours, he decided to sit down for a while as he waited. He was feeling drowsy, it was hard to keep his eyes open, he was trying his best to stay awake but before he could realise he fell asleep.

He was then awaked by the voice of a lady. When he opened his eyes he found someone was standing in front of him. He wasn't able to identify who it was, as his vision was a bit blurry as he had just woken up. He wasn't in his senses yet.

"Lord Madara! I was so worried about you. I'm so glad you're safe." came the voice of the lady.

"Who are you?" he asked suspiciously.

"It's me, Sayura." she said, putting a hand out to help him get up. He didn't take her help and got up on his own. He looked at her. It was hard for him to believe she was who she claimed to be, as she had changed a lot, she was nothing like he had last seen her. He was in utter amazement.

"You have changed a lot." he said without thinking much.

"I-I guess so..." she replied shyly.

Her hairs fell straight up to her waist, unlike the hairs she had as a child that dare not cross her hairline. Her voice wasn't a screech (as he always used to describe it) anymore; it was sweet and pleasant to his ears. She stood quite tall contrary to his belief as a child-that she would remain short. He could not see her face clearly in the faint moonlight. But she appeared to be prettier than he would have ever expected. He was having a hard time believing she really was her. There was a moment of awkward silence.

"Um- so, what about the scroll you sent?" he said, breaking the silence.

"Ah, yes- the scroll. About that... I don't think this is the right place to discuss that. We should go somewhere else. Please come with me. It would be better if we walk. Is it convenient to you?"

"Y-yes."

He was surprised at her way of conversing. As far he could recall, Sayura never talked like that. Rather she used to be blunt and outspoken, not decent and mannered!

They started walking, both of them were quite. The occasional hoot of an owl and the sound of their feet touching the grass was all that was heard at that time. Some kind of unfamiliarity surrounded them. The awkwardness was unbearable. Thus, Sayura decided to break the icy; she tried to engage him in the talks of the clan.

Nearly half an hour elapsed, and they were still engrossed in their talks. Their discussion ranged from the weather those days to the change in life. They had discussed about how things had changed from when they were kids- the landscape, the houses, the orchards, everything. The awful silence reappeared as the comparison between the times of past and present left them with a morbid taste. They were feeling nostalgic. But this moment didn't last long, fortunately. They resumed to discuss weather like light topics again.

Whilst they both were immersed in the talks, two sharp clanks of weapons, from behind, drew their attention. They turned around, and found two shurikens and two kunais lying on the ground. Then a vague figure appeared from the shadows wearing what looked like a traditional Uchiha outfit.

"I don't know who's stupider among you two." said the mysterious figure. "It's _really_ hard to choose."

They both took a ready stance.

"Who are you?" asked Madara with dominance in his voice.

"Really? I guess I know who's more idiotic. I thought you'd have had some sense put in your head but guess I was wrong!" said the figure, tauntingly; and suddenly Madara was struck with something and now he was questioning the whole situation.


	3. Chapter 3

**NOTE FROM AUTHOR:**

I sincerely apologise for the delay in the update. I'll try my best to update it on time every week. Anyways here is the third chapter, hope you enjoy. I would love to know your views. Please give me feedback on instagram as the_ghost_of_uchiha

 **Chapter 3**

 **Thread of the Past**

"Seriously!" she yelled, throwing away the small wooden stick in her hands, "You couldn't guess that? It was so easy!"

"It is not our fault, you didn't draw it right. It wasn't clear! Don't blame it on us now. Huh." he stood up and folded his hands in front.

"What did you say?" she got up as well and narrowed her eyes, "It _wasn't clear_? It wasn't clear, or you two are too dumb to understand?!" she pointed at them.

"Oh, really? What kind of waterfall looks like a box place over a cloud?!"

"But your drawing skills aren't good, just admit that." added Hikaku.

"You aren't a fine artist either!"

"Still better than you!"

Soon everyone started talking and it turned into an anecdote. It was like any other mid-summer evening for these kids-Madara, Hikaku, Naozumi, Sayura, Tamiko, and Shoma. And today they had decided to play Pictionary. Two teams were made: Madara, Hikaku and Sayura in one, and Tamiko, Shoma, Naozumi in the other.

That's how it pretty much used to go. They all used to come in a jolly mood and end up arguing with the other. And on rare days, everything used to go well. They had become habitual to it, so had the forest surrounding them-it's birds, animals, trees and each branch and leaf. After all, it was like an everyday ritual. They used to come, play, fight, compete, chatter and enjoy the days of their childhood. For 7 years they did the same, but after that things had gone quite different.

But still, some memories of these better days were alive and breathing in their hearts. And perhaps this was the reason why Madara's senses got alert when he heard the similar talk.

The figure, which had appeared out of the bushes, stepped forward. A ray of penetrating moonlight contacted it and they were finally able to see the person. It appeared that she was a lady with her hairs neatly tied into a bun, the palms of her hands were wrapped with bandage, and the skirt of her outfit did not had a slit in front like most did and was a little shorter as well.

"So are you going to bring an end to this or not?" she looked towards Sayura.

". . . What are you saying?" she hesitated.

"You know _exactly_ what I'm talkin' about."

"How would I know what you are talking about?" she rebuked.

 _"You're lying! Aren't you?"_ the tone of her voice raised and suddenly subsided, she looked her dead in the eye, as if she could pierce through her soul.

"Wh-Why would I be lying?"

"You're responding to my questions _with_ questions-a clear sign of lying. You're lying, you precisely know what I'm pointing at, and you know you are not the real Sayura. _Isn't that true?_ "

The Sayura Madara had met was sweating now, while he was watching this conversation like a spectator watching a match or kids watching a fight. The entire atmosphere was filled with questions and confusions that floated like clouds. Madara was quite as if his voice has resigned when confronted with all this confusion.

"No, I am the real Sayura."

"A liar always tries to avoid all type of eye contact, and _you_ have been looking everywhere but our faces." she stepped closer to her. She leaned towards her, the distance between them was barely one foot and whispered into her ear which wasn't audible to Madara, but the moment she withdrew from the _'liar'_ , her eyes widened and she gave a small gasp and immediately went away from there. Now Madara was alone with the other one. She moved towards him. Before she could take her sixth step Madara drew his sword on her.

"Do not step further." he declared. Sayura was at a loss, she couldn't comprehend the reason for this behaviour of his. She apprehended that what had happened might have created doubt in his mind and thought it better to remain silent and listen to him first.

"Aren't you going to give some reassurance of you _actually_ being you?"

"It's no use, you're not goin' to believe me, I know that much."

"You really do deserve to be in the intel until."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, look at you, you are good at analysing people. You can tell if they are truthful or not, if they will believe you or not and who _knows_ how many arrows you have in your quiver."

"Well I doubt if any of those will be able to pierce you, but even so I say: trust me, I'm Sayura."

He didn't speak for a moment and the said, "You were correct. It wasn't effective. But you know what will be effective? This."

He weaved signs for fire style: great fireball jutsu, Sayura managed not to get hit by it, somehow.

"Well maybe not this one time."

He did another attack and then another and another, while Sayura was still playing defensive, because attacking might worsen the situation**. Madara increased the intensity of the attacks. Now they were visible from miles away. And they caught the attention of Izuna, who was excessively tired after covering all that distance in the last 12 hours. He got worried, but had no stamina to continue. Even then, he kept crawling.

"Not long can you hide. You would need to come out soon." Madara said, "I wonder why you are being defensive, not like it is going to make me think that you are my ally or anything."

Sayura had securely placed herself on a bushy tree branch and stopped all her chakra flow. She had no idea what to do any more.

'It's true indeed, that I can't hide much longer, _he'll_ find out where I am. How do I make him believe me?' she thought to herself.

"Found you." he said creeping behind her. She turned her head towards him, her mouth was ajar. He placed his sword place on her neck and said, "Now, it would be better if-", suddenly the girl poofed into a block of wood, "Substitution, I see."

He caught the glimpse of Sayura escaping the place. He went after her.

"You think you can escape? If you do, you're wrong." He waited for her to reply but she did not utter a word and kept on moving forward. "Fire style: Dragon flame song release jutsu"

"Water style: Ripping Torrent jutsu" She successfully counterattacked his jutsu and kept moving. He followed.

"So you can use water style as well."

"Up to a certain extent."

"Why would you tell me that?"

"We keep secrets from our foes, not our friends."

"Friends don't try to kill each other."

"You're the one focused on killin', not me. And misunderstandings, confusion and doubt often turn a friend into a foe, Madara. But a recovery is always possible."

"You are quite wise for your age."

"It's not a matter of age, you see, rather a matter of experience, and experience isn't a slave of age."

"So you think I am misunderstood yet you are not trying to clear it up, instead you are running off, that doesn't adds up."

"I would've loved to stop and explain, but looks like you're not ready to listen, you seem more interested in takin' my life, therefore I'd no choice."

"Well what if I am ready?"

She stopped and looked back skeptically. "Are you?" she tilted her head a little to the side and raised a brow. He had stopped too. "Alright then, what is it that'll make you believe I'm who I claim to be?"

"A duel will."

"A due-"

Both of their swords clanked** against each other. Madara had made his move even before she could complete her sentence.

"There is no time for chatting anymore, _Sayura._ " he looked at her and spoke in a grave voice, "Defeat me and I will believe you."

She moved away from him and took a stance and tightened her grip on her sword. "It's a weird way to decide, but whatever pleases you. You must be aware though that my chances of beatin' you are slight."

"How can I believe you, if you can't believe in yourself?" he charged his sword towards her but she blocked it.

"There's . . . difference between . . . having faith . . . in yourself and . . . being overconfident." (They were continuously fighting, due to which they had to take a lot of pauses.)

"Well . . . said."

It was a battle to decide the best amongst the best. Both the competitors were skilled in almost all kinds of jutsus. Although they were at two slightly different levels but still the battle was worth watching.

Whenever Madara was overpowering Sayura, she with some quick actions would immediately turn the situation in her favour. And when she was the one with lead, Madara would take it from her. It was hard to decide who was to win, it was like a see-saw-sometimes one side would go up, and sometimes the other would.

They were attacking, blocking, defending, weaving signs, using jutsu and putting in all they had. They were fighting like true warriors.

Two hours elapsed like this yet no result came.

'Like this there'd never be a winner.' she thought, 'We'd have to keep this goin' on until one of us loses all their chakra.'

"This battle . . . will not get us . . . anywhere," she said pushing his sword away with hers, "you know this very well."

He came back at her, clank-sounded the swords, creating a cross between them {Madara & Sayura}. Madara didn't reply and kept overpowering her; he brought the swords nearer to her. In the effort of stopping them coming any closer, she placed her left hand on the middle of her sword. When she did so her sleeve went down revealing a band tied to her wrist. Madara noticed it.

"What is that on your wrist?" he questioned and stopped forcing it {sword} further.

"What does it look like?"

He groaned**, "Where did you get that from?"

"It's strange that you don't recall that, because as far as I remember, you had one of these _too_."

"Why is he late today?" asked Hikaku.

"He said he forgot something at home." Madara replied, "He will be here soon, be a little patie-"

"Hey, I am here!" came Naozumi, running from a distance waving his hand in the air.

"Finally, he came." said little Tamiko.

"I am sorry . . . for keeping you all . . . waiting. "He said trying to catch his breath, "But I made you these! I know they are not very beautiful but-"

He opened his tiny palms, which held six bracelets that were made out of the Uchiha clan's main colours-red, blue, white. They were hand-made by him and being a five-year-old, that he was, he wasn't that good at art. The bracelets were loosely weaved and knotted, some of the threads were coming out as well, yet everyone still adored them, because they might have lacked skill but one thing was abundant-love.

"These are lovely!" Shoma exclaimed.

"Absolutely!" Sayura agreed.

He had made one for each one of his friends and his elder brother too. All of them wore it immediately. Naozumi's face was lit and shone bright like the sun. He was bliss to know that everyone liked it. It was a reminder and memento of their friendship. But like the bracelet had faded and worn out with time turning into mere threads, so had their friendship.

"It's amusing yet saddenin' that you don't remember the gift your little brother made."

He removed his sword and putted it back in scabbard. "I ask not because I don't remember, but because I want to know if you do, _Sayura_."

Suddenly it dawned upon her that his purpose for asking was to see if she would know a little detail that probably only the six of them knew.

"Big brother!" Izuna called from a distance, with them there were five more men. One of whom was supporting Izuna as he was obstinate to meet Madara instead of resting for a while. He was dead tired. His limbs were wires hanging from a pole, his eyes were red as burning coal, each time he blinked it burned, and even then he didn't wish to sit for a moment.

"Izuna!" Madara ran towards him. Izuna was carefully placed against a tree. "Why did you come here? What happened to you? Did you even take rest today? You must have been working the whole day!" His eyes were filled with concern, his face was frowned.

"I am alright, big brother, don't . . . worry . . . about . . ." and Izuna fainted then and there.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **About the Clan**

"Lord Madara, he's awake." said one of the men that had arrived with Izuna last night.

Madara, who was sitting outside the cave, the one they had settled in for the night, got up in an instant. He had been worried about his little brother the whole time he was being healed. As a matter of fact, he went outside more like made to go outside because he had been creating trouble the entire time, not letting Sayura work with the little chakra she had.

When he went inside, he found Izuna sitting against the wall. He was awake. He still looked a little tired though. He tried to get up but was stopped by Sayura as he groaned.

"You can't move properly just yet. You'd injured your muscles by over strainin' them. I tried to heal you with the little healin' jutsu that I knew, but it's not enough to help you recover completely. You should rest for some time." She explained and got up.

She left them alone so that they could ask each other about their well being. She quietly went outside and stretched her arms. She opened her bun, and her locks of hair dropped in a twisted tail, she then ruffled her hairs and the strands of her let themselves out from the bunch and now stood in separate tufts. They had indeed grown and reached her lower waist.

The sun was up and spread its arms all over the place. Birds were awake and had set out to look for food; it was quite since they were the only people present there.

"Sayura." she heard a call her, she turned around and found Madara and two of those men standing behind her.

Before Madara could say any further, Sayura interjected and said, "You want to know about what's happenin' in the unit, right?"

"Very well then."

She took a deep breath and began to explain, "Most men of the unit are convinced that you're too young to be the leader. They think that you might be the strongest and most skilled amongst the clan but it's not enough to be the head of the clan. To them age factor is important."

"Lord Madara, wasn't this the proposed reason during the selection of chief commander?" interfered one of the men.

"It was." he replied in a low voice. There was silence for a split second after which Madara asked, "What do we need to do then?"

"The opinions of the majority of the members are affected by the opinion of the head. But some among us think otherwise. Thus, the unit has been divided. The ones against your leadership have threatened that if you continue to be the leader they will separate themselves from the clan. The only way to stop this is change the opinion of the head. For that I'd suggest you go and talk to him directly."

"If that's the way it is. Take us to the head, I want to talk to him." he commanded her.

"No." she refused instantly.

All of them were bewildered. "Wha- Why?"

"Because I'm dead tired, _and I doubt you_." she took out a folded sheet of cloth from the pouch tied to her obi and went inside.

"Why do you doubt me?"

"What if you did something inappropriate? Who knows?"

She untied the pouch put it on the ground in a corner, where her sword rested, unfolded the sheet and laid down on her side with the sheet on top covering her entire body from head to toe. She was a caterpillar in a cocoon. Everyone was exchanging glances and now their gaze was fixed on Madara.

He went towards her and stood there. "Sayura, I know about the betterment of the clan, why would I do something that will turn against us? Sayura, Sayura . . ." He started calling her name out on a repeat

She ignored it at first, hoping he would stop if she doesn't responds. But that's not what happened; in fact he increased the frequency and started to say it even faster. Sayura grunted and yelled, "What?!"

"Take us to the head."

"Didn't I just tell you I'm tired?" she sat up straight, "I've not rested since yesterday! I need to take a break."

"But we need to go to him, and you are aware of that."

She sighed and got up, "Fine, I'll summon Chairomaru, he'll take you there."

She bit her left thumb, applied the blood on right palm and moulded her chakra with the hand-signs and then planted her hand on the ground. A little tiger cub appeared. It has smooth, shiny brownish fur with black strips all over it. It has brown sparkling eyes, small cute ears, pink nose and a tiny tail.

Sayura rubbed the bridge of his nose with her fingers and said, "Hello Chairomaru, how are you sweetie." He purred softly.

"Do one little task for me, take them," she pointed towards Madara and other, "to the main base. You know the way, right?" then she got closer to him and whispered, "And if your life gets in trouble then you are free to go back. But everything will be fine, I think because they are some good shinobis." she winked at him, "Got that?"

"Yes, Lady Sayura." he said in squeaky voice.

"There you go; he's ready to take you there. Now hold him in your hand"

The cub came towards Madara.

"In my hand?" he was amazed yet confused.

"Yes, he so little how will he be able to travel at your speed? Come on, hold him."

"That is how he's going to travel throughout the distance?"

"Well you can place him on your shoulder but he might fall." She went to fetch her pouch, emptied its items and said brightly, "Or you can place him inside this and carry him."

She put Chairomaru inside it and buttoned it as to prevent him from falling. It took out him head from the side of the pouch. Then she tied it on his obi.

Izuna, Sayura and two of the clansmen were made to stay at the cave. While the rest of them set out for the main base.

At the cave, Izuna and Sayura rested inside while the men sat nearer to the mouth. They talked to each other, while Sayura dozed off and Izuna quietly laid there, pondering in his thoughts. He was prohibited to walk therefore; he had no other choice but to remain there.

While the half of them remained, the other half were in forests. They had directed towards north-east as told. They were travelling through the forest, no one was saying a word, and they all were focusing on the directions of Chairomaru.

At the same time, Kazu entered a small cabin, along with two men. They all stood in front of a small desk, with the other two standing some feet behind Kazu.

"Sir they met at the forest. I had him believe me, we were about to reach the checkpoint, but-"

"She came there." said the man, seated on the opposite side of the desk, in his grave voice "And you fled from there."

"Sir we could not outrun them, if-"

"Don't give me excuses of why you couldn't do it. I do not wish to hear any of that. Now if you leave, I would go back to doing menial tasks at hand."

"Sir Daichi, we apologise for our failure at the given task, please forgive us." they said in chorus and bowed down to him.

"So you wish to have redemption?"

"Yes sir. If there is anything we-"

"Fine then, I have a little something for you to do. But this time remember you shall not fail me."

Two hours passed and Madara and his men were only half way there. They had halted for a while as Chairomaru had got a little confused with the directions. He was out of the pouch. It had already been 15 minutes since they stopped but still it wasn't sure which way to go, Madara was getting a little annoyed now.

"You are hopeless." he grunted.

"I am just a little confused, no need to be so irritated by that. I will find the way." He hopped in one direction and then another, "Only if you could take me to the top of this tree, then I could tell you." he pointed towards a tree.

Madara gestured one of the men to take it there and he instantly picked it up and climbed the tree. Upon reaching the top Chairomaru took a good look all around and after five minutes he came was brought down.

"It's that way." it said heading towards the north.

"You don't want to be in the bag?"

"No I will manage."

"Well then, it's time to go."

All the four men started off at speed and outran the little cub. It stopped seeing the gusty men.

"Uh . . . maybe I would like to stay in it. Wait! Did you listen me? Put me back!"

Back at the cave, Sayura was awake but was still has got up. Izuna, who had gone out for some time, came inside just the way he had left-with a man supporting him.

"How are you feelin' now?" she questioned

He put him down comfortably and cautiously and went outside.

He groaned and said, "Ah-Better."

"I'll see if there's anythin' I can do."

"I am just curious, where did you learn the medical ninjutsu?"

"You see, whenever the clan requires certain information about any other clan or territory, it sends a request to our head with the requirements, and then a team is formed and sent out to complete the mission. When we're completin' it we often get to copy others' jutsus and during such a mission I got to learn it. That's it."

"Got to _learn_ it?"

"We-we often disguise ourselves, so . . ." she said and laughed nervously.

"Hm-so how long have you been there?"

"For 13 years, I think."

"That's why I haven't seen you before, despite the fact the big brother know you well." said he zestfully.

She chuckled.

"Well I've seen you when you're a baby, and honestly I didn't really thought you'd have grown so much, I guess I still thought of you as a baby." she chortled and said, "Pretty much like your brother still does."

Izuna sighed deeply and his face showed a frown and Sayura bursted into laughter seeing his reaction.

"He really does treat me like a baby and I don't like that." he whined, "Don't do that; don't go there, it's a little restricting."

"He's concerned about you."

"I won't die if he would be a little less concerned." he sulked.

Suddenly Sayura stopped.

"Well you can't blame him," her voice grew darker and quieter, "especially after all that happened." All the laughter had washed away from her face and she was staring at the light coming outside lighting up the cave.

"What?"

"I mean he's-he's another older sibling being a little over protective for his younger brother." she said nervously.

"So you also have a younger sibling?" he asked keenly.

"Ah, no I'm with you on this one. I also have an elder brother."

"So you both work together."

"We did until he resigned from here."

"Resigned? Why?"

"He got married so he went back to the clan and now works there."

"So you have never gotten back to clan since you came here?"

"No I haven't." she shook her head lightly.

"Don't you miss anyone? Your parents? Friends?" his voice was filled with concern.

She didn't spoke for some time. "My parents . . . died when I was young. And I do miss my friends but I fear they won't be like they used to and we might have nothing anymore."

Grimness filled the air. Their tongues were tied; they didn't know what to say. Both understood the loss of the irrecoverable moments of bond one could have developed, now lay like shattered pieces of glass. So they let the air be refreshed with chirps of the birds that flew outside and the rumbling of leaves.

Chairomaru caught the sound of footsteps coming closer to them. He got aware and alarmed everyone.

"Someone's coming our way! I hear their footsteps. There are maybe two or three people."

"Who is it?" asked one of the men.

"I don't know that, they are not yet in my area of vision yet."

"Everyone stay alert and be prepared might have a battle to win." Madara said.

"But Lord Madara, it might be they are not our foes."

"Definitely but we shall not take any risks, understood?"

"Yes sir!" they chorused.

The activation of four sharingans sounded at once.

"I can see them! They appear to be of the clan. They are wearing same outfits. We are not much far away from them."

"What do we do now, Lord Madara?"

"Our actions depend on their purpose. We do not aim to fight with them for two reasons: they are our clansmen; and any clash between the clan will allow others to take hold of us, and I certainly do not wish that."

"There here!" Chairomaru yelled.

They stopped. Three men appeared; they all stood like statues, nobody said or did anything, they were just staring each other in the red eyes. Kazu took his hand behind his back, Madara's team took stance. Kazu held a scroll in his hand, they got relaxed. He then threw it towards Madara and he caught it. He opened it and read.

"Sir Daichi wants to meet you, Lord Madara. Please come with us."


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

 **Pages of Sulphur**

"Try movin' it slowly along with my hands." she said holding Izuna's foot and started moving it in all directions. "Does it hurt?"

"Not much. I-I think it's alright now, I can move; w-we should start moving out. We need to catch up with big brother." he said a little nervously.

"Okay then." she got up, "Come on, get up. We have to leave."

"Really?!" said Izuna all excited and got up at once and then fell immediately with a sharp groan.

Sayura knelt down to him and said, "You thought I won't be able to see this through? I very well know your condition. You can't move own your own yet. You need to rest more."

"But what about big brother?!"

"I'm pretty sure he can take care of himself. And you are in no position to worry about anyone except yourself."

She helped him sit back in his initial position-against the wall. His legs were stretched out straight. She then pulled her sleeves and sat beside his foot and began to rotate it again, gently in circular motion. Izuna was sitting quietly without uttering a single word. Suddenly his gaze fell upon her hand, more like her wrist. It was the sane wrist and it was the same thing that Madara had noticed a night earlier-the worn bracelet.

"Where did you get that?" He pointed towards it."It seems familiar."

Sayura stopped the exercise for an instance and glanced over the bracelet. She was at a loss of words. She didn't know what to say. She remained silent for a fraction of a moment and then recollected herself and said:

"Well you must've seen it at the market. These things are easily available there." There was slight tint of nervousness in her voice.

She got back to her work immediately. All her life she has been hiding things and deceiving people; yet this time it was a little hard because it was something she had always wanted to say to someone to feel lighter but couldn't. Though she had written it all in her little diary when she was a teenager, it did help but she still felt the burden of it.

"No." he thought, "I have seen it somewhere near to me."

He paused and started concentrating. His eyebrows contracted and his face grew a little dark. Suddenly, then the brows relaxed and the eyes widened and he thought, "Yes I have seen it at the cupboard in big brother's room. In fact, there were three of them!" He gazed over her and wondered, "Why do I get a feeling she's hiding something?"

His eyes caught the sight of a silhouette of Chairomaru, who had just arrived at the mouth of the cave.

"It's your little cub, right?" he said pointing with his chin.

She looked at the cave entrance and saw Chairomaru coming. She put his foot on the ground lightly and went towards Chairomaru. She knelt back down near it and pets him.

"What happened? Why are you alone?" She looked back at the entrance trying to catch a glimpse of anyone, "Where are they?"

Chairomaru narrated the whole incident in detail to her. He told her that after meeting the men from the unit and reading their scroll, they decided to go along with them. But it was told to return back to inform her this, as Daichi wants to meet her. She pets it once again as an appreciation for the work he had performed, she thanked him and then he poofed away.

She immediately got up went outside and informed the men outside that she was setting out and they have to take care of Izuna. She came back inside in hurry. She picked up her scabbard and placed it on her obi. She picked up her pouch and was putting some essentials inside it when she saw Izuna trying to get up. Her body moved to support him. And just when he was about to fall, she caught him.

"What on Earth are you tryin' to do?!" she yelled.

"I am going as well!" he declared.

"Have you lost your mind?! How will you go when you can't even walk properly?!"

"I will somehow, I can move a little."

"Don't be insane." she placed her down slowly, "If you are recovering, if you rest for a few more hours you will be able to move again." she cajoled him. "And there are a lot of people, nothing will happen to Madara."

Izuna didn't say anything but disagreement was painted all over his face. Sayura saw this but there was nothing she could do. She tied her pouch and her hairs and went out.

A few moments after Izuna noticed a small black colored notebook lying on the floor near him. He picked it up and opened it. The first page read: 'Uchiha Sayura'. It was her diary.

It had fallen from her pouch when she had come to prevent Izuna from falling. It didn't catch her attention due to the whole conversation.

Izuna turned the page over, and started reading. Although the first thought that came into his mind was to put it away as it didn't belong to him. But his curiosity and anger (towards Sayura as she didn't let him go) gave him various reasons as to why he should read it. The first few pages were torn but the writing was stable and neat. The pages were old as told by their sulphur like pale yellow colour. The first sentence started quite abruptly. The sentence had, probably, started on one of the torn pages and continued to the one still intact. It read as:

"during that time father was the commander-in-chief, so he often used to visit their home. My brother sometimes used to tag along with him as my brother had a keen interest in all the strategy and planning stuff. I had always insisted to go too, but was denied saying that I would get bored. But one fine day, father finally took me with him. It was a big house, like ours, with a house garden and a pond. It was spring I guess because the flowers were all blooming. I think I then straight way went near the flowers or maybe father told me to, either way, I went towards a bush. That was when I met Naozumi. He was also there. I don't recall what interaction we had but we became good friends after that. One day, if I remember correctly, I and Shoma were passing by his home on our way to our playing spot and I thought of calling him too. After that he used to come to play with us. One day his elder brother came along with him, and that's when I met Madara."

Izuna gasped. His big brother had another brother! He had no idea. Why he was never told about it? And he certainly had no remembrance of this 'Naozumi'. And he was there, and then what happened to him? He continued reading, hoping he'd find out.

"I was sort of vagrant from the start. So was Naozumi. As a matter of fact, we're quite alike, and hence became best friends. We used to spend a lot of time playing, talking and training. Most of my friends didn't like my way of interacting but he always found it amusing and fun, that's one more reason why we jibed**. We used to share everything with each other, almost I mean. Ha-ha.

Two years passed like this. But on an unfortunate winter day, nearly two days before Madara's birthday, Naozumi told me he had seen beautiful flowers in the nearby forest area, which was quite rare in deadly winters. He wished to gift them to his big brother on his birthday, as he thought that Madara didn't received any gifts since his Christmas gifts became his birthday presents. He asked me to come with him and I agreed; but I shouldn't have, instead I should have stopped him as well. But I didn't. We went there together, but when we arrived there we heard war noises-two clans were fighting nearby. I asked him to return back immediately but he told me that he'd do it quickly; he'd just go pluck them and return back, after all the war was being fought a little away from our location. But somethings don't go the way we have planned them. And it was one of those things. He went and the next moment someone attacked him. Before I could do anything, I saw a man coming towards me with a sword. I was extremely terrified, I couldn't move, I thought it was my end. I don't know what happened next, it just blacked out.

Next time when I woke up, I found my brother beside me. Later I came to know that father had arrived just in time to save me. But they couldn't save Naozumi.

That year nobody celebrated Christmas and Madara never celebrated his birthday. He blamed me for Naozumi's death, with which I can't disagree, I was to be blamed. What kind of friend was I?! How did I let him do this?! We didn't play after that, no one did. I didn't have the courage or the will to do so. Nobody could go either, our warmth in that brute winter was gone. Madara grew even more concerned about his two-year -old brother, Izuna. He was often spotted working his back off in the bizarre cold. All of my friends were always seen either inside their homes or in training ground, but always with a frown, all of them had removed their bracelets as it only hurt them. And all this because of me. Father kept giving me hope that it'd get better with time, but the opposite happened.

The news of father's death came in after a few months. I was devastated, completely broken. I had lost the one person who was supporting me. I had no one to run to. At that time, elder brother was already appointed at the intel unit, and after father's death, that's where I went.

And now here I am lamenting over everything. This bracelet that I wear is not only a memory of Naozumi but also a reminder that no child shall ever die on my watch. I wish nothing like this would have happened, but I'd make sure nothing like this in future does. Only if I"

The sentence was never finished. It was written unfinished, unattended. The page had impressions of dried tear drops all over it, showing the inability to write any further.

Izuna closed it and put it back on the ground. I drew a deep breath.

"So that's why I didn't remember him." he thought.

It was clear now. Clear yet there were a few things that clouded Izuna's mind but they could only be cleared after Sayura returns.

"I would have to wait for her to arrive, I guess."

He closed his eyes and put his head back, thinking.


	6. Chapter 6

**NOTE** :

After a few more chapters, if I felt the need, I shall provide you guys with the timeline of the story, as the original timeline is messed up, but I fear that the plot might be disclosed due to this. And sorry for the delay this time I don't know what took so long. :')

 **Chapter 6**

 **Of a Brother and Sister**

The sun was setting, orange coloured rays filling the sky, warm wind was blowing, the forest was filled with rustle of tree leaves, the animals and birds were returning back to their homes and Sayura, returning back to the cave. Her mind was going places, her feet were tired. She was happy yet worried.

After the talk with Sayura and Madara (separately), Daichi had agreed to give one chance to the leader to prove himself worthy of the position. Therefore, it was decided that the head (Daichi), along with some other members of the unit, will be going to the clan village and take their decision after analysing everything.

Sayura had no doubt about Madara's leadership for as far as she knew the people back in the clan were quite satisfied; the thing that concerned her was Daichi himself. Daichi was an old, traditionally orthodox type of person. Anything and everything that wasn't the way it had been since ages, he would change it immediately. Although Madara had fell short of 4 years of the 'traditional age' of clan leader, at the time he had been made it, now only 2 years. The old hag Daichi still felt he wasn't good enough. It seemed absurd to most of the younger people in the intelligence unit, but made complete sense to the elder ones and that was the main source of the conflicts.

The unit kept working with very mild unrest for 2 years, but now the barrier of patience and tolerance broke, flooding the whole clan with non-cooperation, fights and conflicts, deteriorating the functionality of the unit and eventually the clan, prompting Sayura to bring it to the attention of Madara.

Although now there was a little ray of hope since Daichi has agreed to give him a chance for doing so wasn't in his nature. At first Sayura was surprised when he told her that he was ready to do what she and others like her had been requesting him to.

In the recent times Sayura along with all those who had the same opinion had formed their own group and they had stopped disassociated themselves with the unit in the past few months. Their reason for doing so was not only the fact that they didn't support Madara as the leader but because even they weren't considered much responsible despite their abilities. But now perhaps things were about to change.

The main purpose of Daichi calling Sayura was to let others of her group be informed of the same through her, as only the members of the group knew where they had situated themselves.

Sayura reached the mouth of the cave. The men stood up on seeing her.

"Hopefully you found somethin' to eat, cause now we have to make it back home." she said, the last word was filled with love in her tone, "Now start preparing we have to leave as soon as possible."

"Yes!" they said in unison.

Sayura went inside with the two men following her.

"Where is big brother? Is he alright?" Izuna asked the second he saw her.

"Oh my! Don't worry. He is headed back home and yes, he's alright. Calm down. We also have to leave, by the way. How's your foot?"

"I think it's alright. I think we should go now."

"Well it's highly unlikely that it'll heal this soon. And until it does you can't walk."

"It's my foot! When I say it's okay, it means _it is_ okay!" Izuna yelled in frustration.

Now, one of the downside of Sayura is that she gets angry easily and when she does het sharingan is activated, her voice grows dark and a little ghostly, and she doesn't uses any contractions, leaving her laid back style of speaking. And that is exactly what happened.

"Izuna," she said, "I know about this, and when I say it _cannot_ heal so soon it means it **cannot.** I do not think it is anything beyond your understanding, is it?" she moved closer to him, "If I want, I can leave you here and you would not be able to move a single _inch_ , do you get that?" she moved back. Her voice and eyes went to normal. "We have to leave any way. So you're comin' too."

The next morning, Kosuke and Madara were standing near the entrance of the clan. Madara was walking back and forth anxiously, while Kosuke stood still at one spot.

Madara hadn't been able to sleep previous night due to constant worry about his little brother. After all the last time he had seen Izuna he was badly injured that too due to Madara, at least that's what he thought. As soon as the rays of sun touched earth Madara was up. In fact it had been quite a long time since he had been waiting for him to arrive.

"Lord Madara, I am sure he must be alright." Kosuke consoled. "They" he gestured towards two clansmen, "are here to inform us as soon they arrive."

Madara didn't pay any heed to it whatsoever.

Kosuke was actually taking a stroll when he noticed Madara acting like a pendulum-back and forth, back and forth. So he came to inquire about this strange behaviour.

The unit head and others with them had went to their family's houses, but few of those who didn't had been, somehow, accommodated in certain separate houses with only a few rooms in total.

"Lord Madara, they are here!" one of the men informed as he saw them.

They had finally arrived. Izuna was sitting on a tiger back, the two men were in front, and Sayura was at the last. The moment Madara saw his little brother he went towards him. His eyes contained more pain then Izuna himself had felt. It was the same pain Sayura had noticed earlier when they were in the forest. While Madara and Izuna were engrossed in talking with each other, Kosuke was appreciate his men for completing their work and Sayura, well she had only one thought in her mind- "I want to sleep." They had finished quite a long journey, so obviously they were tired.

"You know what to do." Sayura came near her tiger summoning and whispered to it, patting it on the head and crossed the clan entrance, leaving all the men.

She wanted to capture every change that had happened over the years but her eyes just weren't listening to her. And that moment she realised she didn't knew her way to home.

"You're as hasty and ill-mannered as ever!" Kosuke's voice came from behind.

Sayura stopped immediately. Her head lolled forward and a sigh came out, she turned around slowly to face him. All the excitement she had for returning back was gone now. Her head bowed and her eyes fixed on the ground.

"You're busy talkin' big brother, so I-" she was saying just when she was interrupted.

"Do you even realise how bad it looked when you left from there?" he scolded, "Hump! Follow me now."

"Yes."

Kosuke was one of those strict elder siblings, unlike Madara for instance. He was very particular and precise about everything related to Sayura. He needed to have every detail about what she is doing, where she is, et cetera. Constantly pointing out her mistakes and often giving her harsh training. He basically treated her the way his father treated him. It wasn't like he despised her or anything, he was simply concerned about her; he didn't have any idea about upbringing a child, so brought her up just the way he had been brought up. Moreover he wasn't that hard with everyone, in fact he came off as a pleasing person; he was just this way with her baby sister.

"Sayura! Welcome back!" Emiko bowed and said.

Sayura returning her bow thanked her. They stepped the genkan into the house. Sayura was allotted a room of her own, she started placing her things that she had in the wall cupboards, although she preferred to take rest first but was told to organise first. Kosuke had returned to do some work he had while Emiko stood with Sayura in the room trying to stir a conversation.

"So; you must be tired from such a long journey, right?" Emiko asked.

"Yeah. We'd travelled the whole night, no rest, yeah." she replied.

There was awkwardness between them. They both had no idea about what to say. Sayura pretended that she was still busy organising her things when actually she was done, but waited to declare so until she found a topic to talk about. Although Emiko had offered her assistance in placing the things but had Sayura refused the offer.

"I completely forgot!" Sayura exclaimed, "How's Kagami?" she asked referring to Emiko and Kosuke's child.

"Ah! He is well, asleep right now."

"Oh I want to meet him." she said and yawned.

"Well I think I should leave, you seem tired. You can meet him afterwards." she smiled. "I will make your bed, don't worry."

Sayura smiled. Emiko laid out tatami mat and kept a futon mattress just in case she needed it and Sayura fell asleep as soon as her body made contact with it. She drifted away to sleep. They said when one is tired they get the best sleep, apparently it seemed true.

In evening Sayura got up, played with the baby, took supper and had a little chat with Emiko. That night she didn't sleep, as a matter of fact, it took her couple of days to adjust her sleeping schedule. Her days were quite . . . boring. She didn't have much to do there. Initially, she liked it but eventually, it started to eat her out. She tried helping Emiko with daily chores but it wasn't that helpful, because by the time she would do one thing Emiko would have already completed two tasks. So she hardly used to get few chores to do.

Kosuke had taken notice of this and one day at the dinner table he spoke to Sayura.

"Sayura," Kosuke said in a heavy voice, "Kintsugi, Tsumami Kanzashi, pottery choose any one, from tomorrow you will be attended there classes."

"Classes, but why?" she asked in the most humble way she could.

"Because I said so. And aren't you getting bored with all this spare time in your hands? Plus, such classes are helpful for the clan too."

"Yes, big brother."

"Well then. Emiko, kindly go with her starting from tomorrow." She shook her head in affirmative. "And yes, you will have to wear a kimono there."

"What? I'm not wearin' that!" she exclaimed, Kosuke gazed her into the eyes. "I mean I don't know how to wear it."

"Well Emiko will help you. And get rid of that dialect as well, it sounds horrible."

"Yes, big brother." she said in a low voice.

Next morning, Sayura woke up a little early. She got ready and was helped by Emiko in wearing the kimono. Soon they left for the class. Emiko was wearing a red kimono with golden pattern embroidered, while Sayura wore a yellow one with pink in gradation, embroidered with red. Both their hairs were nicely tied.

On their way Emiko asked, "You know that he is worried about you, right?"

"Yes, I know. He always was. He'd-he would never say it though." Sayura said and chuckled.

Emiko smiled and said, "He always makes himself appear all tough and strict, especially to you, but deep down he really cares. I forgot to mention but he said you look pretty today."

Well it wasn't Kosuke who said it himself, rather it were his eyes that did. When the ladies were about to leave, Kosuke's sight was fixated on his sister. There was great satisfaction on his face that Emiko was able to see and deduce that he was immensely happy.

That was just how Kosuke was with her little sister, pointing out her every mistake but hardly appreciating her. But she knew that her brother would wish for her best. After all it was because of him that she was what she had become. He had observed Sayura and her boredom, and therefore thought that if she would take on any such hobby it will be good for her.

In a matter of few minutes they reached the class. It wasn't a big building yet spacious. They entered inside, there were six to seven rectangular low lying tables, on each table there were four people. Emiko and Sayura were introduced to everyone else and seated on different tables. There were pieces of various colored cloths and threads, pins, needles and beads on the tables. The instructor was a lady above forties. She first came to both their table and told them a couple of things, then they both started their work.

"Um, excuse me," said one of the young ladies sitting on the same table as Sayura. "Your name is Sayura?"

"Yes, it's-I mean it is Sayura."

"Hm, you know I once had a friend her name was quite similar to yours. I mean there's only one alphabet that's different." she said and smiled, "anyway, I am Tamiko, nice to meet you."

"You mean her name was Sayuri?" Sayura said, wide-eyed.

And that moment they realised and recognised each other. It was Tamiko, Sayura's childhood friend. She was looking pretty today. She wore a light blue kimono with white and red patterns. She had brown hairs which were tied a single band. In the break that was nearly at one in the afternoon, Sayura and Tamiko sat talking to each other. They were all sipping tea, and relaxing for a while.

"So, why did you change it?" Tamiko questioned in her sweet voice.

"You see, when I went from here there were only men in the intel unit and you know that I looked-"

"Like a boy." they said in unison.

"So," Sayura continued, "apparently big brother Kosuke introduced me to everyone as Sayura. Since then it has been this way."

"Didn't anyone question him?"

"Who knows?"

"So how-how did everyone come to know you are not a boy? Or do they still think-"

"No no." Sayura interjected, "they did come to know, of course. But I don't really remember how that happened." she chuckled.

"Come on, ladies! Break is over! Get back to work." said the instructor.

Everyone started going back to their tables and continue their work. Those who had been doing this for a considerable amount of time, were fast and skilled; while those not so experienced were taking more time. Sayura being a beginner was taking, as Tamiko said, ages to complete a single piece.

Sayura had opted for Tsumami Kanzashi, because according to her pottery and Kintsugi were troublesome. Though now she was thinking otherwise. She had never thought folding a fabric and tacking and sewing it would be so difficult. Often the petals of her flowers were disproportionate or not correctly tied. Other times the fabric was not staying on the metal comb or clip. Many times Tamiko had to leave her work and correct hers. She was getting irritated now. By the end she had barely completed two pieces that too with help from Tamiko, while others had completed five to six pieces on average. They all called it a day for then. All ladies started to leave. Just when Sayura was going with Emiko, Tamiko stopped her.

"Why don't you come with me for supper tonight?" Tamiko said.

Sayura looked at Emiko and introduced Tamiko to her. They both bowed at each other.

"It is nice that you have found your old friend, now you won't feel lonely here." Emiko said and they all smiled, "as for the supper you may go with her if you wish to."

"Great then! Come with me!" Tamiko said and grabbed Sayura by her arm and pulled her. Emiko giggled while they both went away.

Tamiko had always been a bubbly, peppy and excited person. One could say that at times she was the life of the party, at other times she could irritated you up to the point of you either killing her or yourself. Although she had matured indeed. But after meeting Sayura she was absolutely bliss.

She took her to a small eating place nearby. Today the treat was on her. It was a nice, warm place, occupied with people. They found them self a table, people were chattering in distance, they ordered their food. They didn't talk much during the meal, but after they left, while walking in the lanes they did. The sky was filled with stars, there was cool breeze blowing, it was nice altogether.

"So did you forgive me?" Sayura asked.

"Forgive you for what?"

"You know for what happened-years ago."

As soon as Sayura said this Tamiko understood what she was talking about.

"It isn't your fault, it never was!" she cried.

"Then why did you stop coming to play?"

"My parents didn't allow me for sometime after the incident, in fact no parent did. After few months, no one came, not even you. I used to come to our meeting place-but no one else did. So I stopped coming. I waited. No one else did."

Sayura didn't have words to comprehend. She didn't know what to say. Her head bowed down, eyes on the ground and frown on face, she walked along with Tamiko. They parted at a cross-road, bidding each other goodbye and going their separate ways to home.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 **The Unexpected Arrivals**

"Sir, we have come to know that there is going to be a battle between the Uchiha and Wasabi clan." Kazu informed Daichi.

They were seated around a table in an old room, poorly lit with walls having damp spots, the window sill broken and glass held together by some adhesive. Daichi was sitting in a laid back position with his elbow on the table and hand holding his pipe and the other hand place on the newly laid matters. The matting on the floor was the only thing that shined amongst the dull room; it was changed the everyday they had arrived as the older one was in poor condition. Although they were to be provided with furnished room, at the moment it wasn't possible. When Madara told them about this when they came, he had expected that Daichi would certainly comment on it but he said that he understands; it came off as a surprise to Madara, for he had prepared to listen. It had only been a day since that happened. And Daichi didn't seem to have much problem, as he had comfortably settle himself in the wrecked room, in which he was sitting thinking over what Kazu had told him.

"Is it so?" Daichi responded after much pondering over something, "Well I cannot decide who is more foolish. Why would someone decide to let a clan as weak as the Wasabi be an opponent of the Uchiha! It is utter idiocy to do so!"

"Affirmative sir. We have come to know that the opposite side did not have enough funds. So, they had to settle for what they could afford."

"Well their defeat it final. Yet it is a pity that the Wasabi clan will lose so many of its warriors, although if they surrender it would be a better option." Daichi said and went over to the window and opened it. He gazed outside at the clan for roughly ten minutes.

His room was situated on the second floor; from there the view of the entire clan was visible. The morning sun rays embraced his face while he continued puffing his pipe, draped in some dull blue robes. He thought it would be better to wait for some more time before coming to a conclusion.

"The clan seems to be doing well. Everything seems to be under control." Daichi remarked thinking nobody was in the room.

"Yes, sir. Lord Madara seems to have had managed everything."

Daichi didn't expect this. He turned around and found Kazu still hadn't left. He thought he would have as there was no further thing to discuss. Yet he stood there.

"I thought you left. Why are you still here? What is it?" he questioned.

"Sir will this be our basis for deci-"

"What did you have for breakfast today? Trash?" he interjected. "Talk no nonsense. This can never qualify as our basis. Go from here at once!" he commanded angrily.

Kazu bowed and left. But he had left a bitter taste in the mouth of Daichi by asking such questions. "Those people must be like him." he wondered.

At nearly half-past twelve, Madara reached at Daichi's staying place. He knocks on the door. He had to wait for three to five minutes before the door opened. Through that time he kept thinking if he should knock again or not, but was relieved when he heard the creaking of the floor. Daichi then slid the door that got stuck twice while opening.

Daichi had a pipe in his hand in which he had just placed tobacco and had lit it before coming to open the door, perhaps that is the reason it took him long to open. He looked unimpressed seeing Madara.

 _"Oh, Lord Madara, is it? Good noon. What brings you here?"_ he plainly.

"Good afternoon. I have come here to inform you that the rooms you all were supposed to stay are ready for accommodation, so shift in them at your convenience."

"That is a relief I must say. I could not handle this horrid smell. Certainly no way to welcome someone."

"My sincerest apologies to you. Is there anything else I can provide you with? Please ask with hesitation."

"Ah, no. I have spent days in even worse places." he said and chuckled. But then his tone and expressions change and he continued in his dull voice, now serious, "But this certainly is no reason for your lack of preparations."

"I know." Madara responded. "If there is anything else you can tell me. And if I am not present please inform-"

"Are you going somewhere?" He interject, which might have been a little hasty of him.

"Yes, there is this battle with the Wasabi clan; we will be leaving for it tomorrow."

"I see. Well good luck to you, although I think it would be a child's play. Not a major battle."

"Yes, it is not. I do not think it would even last eight hours."

"Don't you have any big battles to fight?" he questioned casually as if a friend would.

"Ah-yes. We do have a battle with Chinoike clan, the one with the-"

"Ketsuryugan. Yes, I am aware of that. Well hope you are prepared for it."

"I think so."

"Well let me convey the news, I am sure they will be relieved. By the way, for how long will you be gone?"

"For nearly four to five days." he said a little awkwardly.

"Oh well nice."

Before Madara could respond, Daichi went inside fast. It looked like he was getting late to reach his work on time. Madara could hear his feet thudding across the floor. He found the behaviour of Daichi quite weird today. He stood still there for a couple of seconds, after that he started walking. His mind was still occupied with the thoughts of Daichi and his behaviour.

"He usually is quite cold and cut-off." he thought referring to Daichi, "But today he was being friendly-cold. Hm, was it because he feels lonely? I have never seen him with anyone of his age; well most of his age people are not alive, so considering that he might feel lonely. I don't think he has anything scheduled up or have anything to do, yet he referred to stay inside, when he could have gone outside and take a stroll or something. Maybe he is just a loner."

Just then something whizzed pass him in the same direction as him and he activated his sharingan, and he caught sight of what it was. It looked like the tiger Sayura had summoned. "Perhaps it is hers as well" he thought. His eyes turning back to normal. He continued on his way, still thinking about Daichi.

"Well but I remember hearing people say that he was never a socialising person, he did not have much friends, not even when he was younger, nor does he have a wife or children, which is said to be the reason for the strict rules and regulations that the unit members have to follow as they are more suited for people who did not have any responsibility of a family. Yet there are members who had had and have families-Sir Kosuke was an example of this."

"Lord Madara!" Shouted Kosuke, as he saw the leader from behind. Madara stopped and looked back and saw him coming towards him.

"Think of the devil and the devil's here." He commented. Soon enough Kosuke reached him, a little out of breath.

"Did you say something, Lord Madara?" he asked in response to Madara's comment he couldn't hear.

"Yes, I said I was just going to your place."

"Oh well, we can go together now."

"Well then. Did you have some work with me that you called?"

"Ah, yes." Kosuke whispered. He gestured Madara to continue walking. They both were now pacing together and he continued his whispering, "Today one of the unit members came to the house, in the morning. He asked Sayura to summon one of her tigers as they had to send a message back to the unit."

Suddenly Madara got reminded of what he had seen earlier.

"I saw a similar summon-" Kosuke gestured to lower his voice, "I saw a similar summoning a few minutes ago going in our direction."

"That is strange. How did it return so fast? Even though it was sent early in the morning, it could not have returned this soon. He went towards the home didn't he?"

"Yes." Madara replied.

"Then we shall go and find out. What happened, Lord Madara?" He asked, inquiring about the reason for the lines of worries on his young face.

"Today when I went to Sir Daichi, he questioned me about the battles we are having, and I find it strange that he did not remember about the one with Chinoikes."

Madara was aware that all the requests sent by the clan leader to the unit, asking to collect certain information about a specific thing along with the reason, are brought in the notice of the head. After that he assigns the job of collection of data to the unit members. As soon as the collection is done, the information is sent back to the leader. Every request passes through the head. Thus, the request for collection of information relating to the Chinoike clan, sent by Madara himself, must have reached Daichi as he had provided the information on time.

"He might have forgotten about it." said Kosuke after a little pondering, "He's an old crooked man after all."

Madara did not respond to this verbally; he just nodded his head slightly. Still lost in his thoughts, Madara walked along Kosuke until they reached the house. Emiko was in the house garden feeding the fishes; Kagami was sleeping in the room adjacent to it. The house was quite and homely. It smelled like rosewood, due to the essence Emiko had lit earlier.

Both the men came in the living room and Madara sat down while Kosuke went to Emiko to inquire about the tiger they were expecting to have come there. Upon being asked Emiko told that she it had come and entered the house through the door that opened in the garden and then it hurriedly went further inside. She also told that it was currently in its summoner's room and had decided to go only after having talked with her.

After hearing this Kosuke went back to Madara and narrated everything. Then they went to Sayura's room to question the summoning (named Kenta).

Kosuke and Kenta knew each other as it had been summoned quite a lot of times as it was reliable for data and information transportation.

Kenta was one of the oldest tiger summons. His fur was faded and dusty; he had few marks of fights he had won that he bore as tags of being the alpha. He also wore a cloth strip in his right forearm that had the Uchiha crest on it, signifying his and the loyalty of all other tigers towards the clan. He was an enormous wild beast that had been occupying a large space the room when Kosuke and Madara entered. He had curled himself in a circle and was resting like a small kitten.

"Kenta," Kosuke said, and it opened its one eye to see him, but did not move his head or anything. "I need to have a word with you."

"Master Kosuke," it rose its head and opened the other eye too. "Thee question why I have arrivedth at thy lodging so soon, don't thou? And also wherefore have I not left if it is true that the task I was given has been fulfilled."

Kenta was indeed as old as he seemed. His fur was faded and dusty and his language was ancient. Although Madara did understand what he said but he was unable to comprehend perfectly what he meant and wondered how was Sayura able to understand him when she speaks a slangish dialect.

On the other hand Kosuke understood it perfectly. Seeing this Madara thought he better remain quite.

"So will now that you know the questions, give us the answers we want." said Kosuke.

"I must tell thee this beforehand that what thy doth seek will not provide thee with any pleasure whatsoever." it said in his heavy voice. "Nonetheless I shalt speakth what thy askth for. We all did hast in our minds that the task must be to transport some information to far away land but the reality was quite different."

By now Madara had stopped trying to comprehend. He was indeed good in language but he was not ancient. His face showed horror and confusion at the same time. He thought it to be better to just wait for him to finish and then he will just ask Kosuke to repeat it for him.

"Who is this gentleman with thou if I may ask? He seem'th not to understand'th anything."

"He is the leader of the clan, Lord Madara."

"Oh, greetings. Thou- I mean, you do not understand what I tell you, do you? My apologies. I shall be more understandble from now on." it continued in its dark tone. "As I was saying the scroll was meant to be transported to a hill nearby, where some 5-6 people from the same clan as this stood decked up with weaponry and armours. I sensed something odd and decided to return, although I was given the command to go after the completion. They followed me but fortunately enough I made it here. I thought I would let you or lady Sayura knows about this."

"You thought right, Kenta. You may leave now; I shall take care from here."

Kenta bowed his head and went back to his realm.

Kosuke turned towards Madara and saw the stupefaction on his face. He knew from what it was coming from.

"It's language, right?" he asked, and Madara nodded his head lightly. "I know, almost everyone is unable to understand him."

"Then how does Sayura do so, considering her language?"

"She does not. She simply asks it to speak simpler. It knows many dialects. Anyway let us get on with matters at hand."

Kosuke moved out of the room while Madara still stood at the sill of the door for a brief moment after which he too went outside.

Meanwhile all was happening at home, in the class Tamiko and Sayura were happily sipping their afternoon tea and still chattering with each other. Wearing colourful kimonos they were talking about how their lives were in the past few years. They were hoping perhaps they could make up for all these years they were not together. It actually started when the instructor announced that any classes won't be dismiss.

"Were they supposed to?" Sayura questioned, while they were still sitting on their tables in the morning when the class had just begun, their hands holding a bright cloth.

"Yes, usually whenever there is some battle, such classes are dismissed as the ladies have to prepare for the chances of an attack being made on the settlements." Tamiko explained. "But the scheduled battle is expected to be an easy one. Therefore, only a few people are assigned duties."

"So have you been assigned one?"

"Yes, the northern front is my area."

Sayura hummed for a moment and then asked, "So how does this whole system works?" Although she was aware of its basics but thought it better to ask for two reasons: she would get to know more and, as said before, she could catch up on Tamiko's life perhaps.

"Well, you see the women, you must be aware, are given the same training as men; but are not sent to battles they have to stay here and protect the settlements of clan. So, "Tamiko paused as a hard fold occurred in the cloth, after dealing with it she continued, "So, the women are assigned duties according to their age and skills. The clan area is divided in five fronts: north, central, south-eastern, west and outer. Different areas are assigned to different ladies. That's pretty much how it is."

"I see. It's similar to the system at the unit."

"Really?"

"Yea—yes." Sayura said remembering what Kosuke had said to her. She was trying her best to maintain a sober dialect but old habits are hard to change. Every now and then she used to utter a word that was not spoken there, the way she used to speak it. "Different tasks are given to different members. It actually is about specialisation.

Both of them stopped interacting for sometime as they got tangled in their work. Tamiko was done making the petals of the flower and now Sayura put some resin in the centre of a circular hard paper-base and starting placing the petals one by one. As they had observed yesterday that the latter was definitely not good in homely things, so she was given the work of assembling.

Sayura, who was completely immersed in her work heard Tamiko saying, "Sayura; you are really committed to the unit, aren't you?" Sayura looked at her and saw the smirk on her face and understood. "Applying specialisation method here too, eh?" Tamiko said and giggled.

Sayura drew a deep sigh and said quite monotonously, _"Yes, that's true. After all my specialisation is combat, that's what I have been doing for years, unlike you."_ And she gave a mocking look to Tamiko.

"What do you mean?" She revolted.

"Just what I said."

"You think I cannot fight?"

"I didn't say that." Sayura grinned.

"Fine then, let's have a fight." Tamiko said firmly.

" _Oh no, it wouldn't look nice if a clan's person lost to an intel unit member."_ She said and burst into laughter, then she stopped and continued, "But if that's what you want, alright."

"Okay, the day the company going for the battle returns, we will have a duel."

"As you like it." Sayura chimed.

Their talks afterwards were mostly mockery or nostalgia. But they did spend a quality time together, it was further decided that whosoever will win, will have to pay for the meal at the local diner.

In the night they parted their ways and went their homes. The sky was clear, the moon had just risen, and it was going to be dark soon. Sayura was thinking of not going to the class for the time Tamiko wasn't going to be there too. It was no harm after all, firstly she was here for only a few days; secondly even Emiko wasn't coming. So she decided- she was not going to go.

The next morning before leaving Madara was giving instructions to the caretaker he had appointed for Izuna for he couldn't leave, more like he wasn't allowed by Madara. He had said to him last time, "These are the orders of the Uchiha leader not your brother." But that was not quite true. Izuna did not say anything, but his anger was evident.

Sayura and Emiko bid Kosuke. They hoped that he returns home safely. For the rest of the days, Sayura practiced her skills rather than going to classes, she didn't want to lose the duel.

The days passed away soon, Izuna's condition got better and now he was able to talk perfectly, Sayura was excited about her duel; and Madara had conquered the battle. The news was known to all in the clan, everyone was happy, even though there had been a few casualties (weaklings as some called them). The men and children were expected to come by the dusk, but got a little late and returned by night. That night, the tired warriors slept soundly.

The battle wasn't much talked about as everyone has expected the Uchiha to win. The unit head still came to congratulate the leader, on his victory, as a formality. Kosuke also happened to be there at the time.

"Congratulations on this expected victory." Daichi said.

"Well your arrival was unexpected; I think it makes up for it."

"I would suggest you to beware, everything in this universe has to be balanced; the evil by the good; the hate by the love; the sorrow by joy, and in your case, the expected by the unexpected. It is indeed true that my visit did less the amount but a quite still remains to be balanced, Lord Madara and _Sir Kosuke_

After saying so, he went leaving both, the chief and leader, a little confused.

"I tell you, his age is getting the better of him/his age is showing off." said Kosuke."He was a crooked old hag, now he is becoming a cracked one too."

Both of them soon went back to their work without paying much attention to what the head had said. Madara started discussing their strategy one last time before conveying it to the rest of the clansmen, who were to fight that day.

In the meanwhile, Sayura and Tamiko were heading off to small open grassland situated on the outskirts of the clan area. It wasn't much far but far enough that the other people will not be aware of the sounds that might occur during the fight. It took them nearly fifteen minutes to reach there. They were not speaking to each other much. They had discussed about the place the day before, so there was only one thing in their minds that they spoke through their eyes-"do you think you are going to win?'

They both were dressed in their war wear. While Sayura was wearing her typical Uchiha outfit with a slit on one side, Tamiko wore one whose lower part resembled a skirt reaching up to her ankles. Their hairs were tied up in buns and pleats respectively.

It was a little cloudy that day. The grassland, when they reached, was not bigger than the clan area. It was surrounded by woods from one side. It was quite out there.

Both of the girls were ready with their weapons and themselves and took their stances. There was some kind of intensity in the air due to the gaze they were giving each other.

The eyes went red and narrower. Their hands reached for the swords and then in a flash they both went off. Their swords clanged once, twice, thrice. . . Even the bright day were not visible, just the continuous clanging was all that marked their present-they were travelling like light. They were coming at each other simultaneously. And then they stopped briefly for a moment standing with their swords against each other in a cross.

"It's time to heat things up, don't you think so?" Sayura said and leaped back. In mid air she weaved the signs of horse, tiger, serpent, ram, monkey, boar, horse and then tiger and then drawing her one hand closer to her mouth she said, "Fire style: great fireball jutsu." Then an enormous ball of fire went towards Tamiko, who could not dodge it and got struck. The ball pushed her and she was thrown against a tree branch, badly burned. Sayura was a bit worried.

But then all of a sudden, Sayura felt a presence behind her back and before she could glance, she was kicked forward by Tamiko but she was able to not collide with the land. Her feet gritted against the ground, she placed her fingers on the it, in order to stop. She stood on her feet in a knelt position. She quickly looked back at the tree where she had seen Tamiko crash and found that her ball had passed through and a small burn was there at the bottom of the tree.

"Fire substitution, damn I should've known." Sayura said to herself.

"You get distracted easily, now don't you?" Tamiko said coming for Sayura with her sword. Sayura, not having enough time to pull her sword, took out a kunai and blocked her attack. Both their hands were trembling in order to overpower each other. Sayura was at a disadvantage and could feel Tamiko overpowering her. She took her other hand and placed it at the wrist of the one holding the kunai to support it, and then with all the power she could summon she pushed Tamiko. Although it wasn't much effective, it still was enough for her to take a stance.

Sayura stared Tamiko in her eyes, standing at least 30 feet apart from each other. But then, Sayura noticed Tamiko glancing somewhere behind her, possibly at the bushes and trees behind her. Sayura noticed the confused and questioning expression at her face, she thought there might indeed be something, but when the thought of trap came into her mind she went at her fastest speed to attack her. This time she opted for taijutsu.

She advanced towards Tamiko bombarding her with kicks and fists. Tamiko's gaze broke and she started defending herself. They were so fast that a naked eye would have never been able to see even a single move. All this had happened within barely 25 minutes.

"Sayura! Look!" she exclaimed as she looked back at the bushes for a second without stopping to fight.

"You think . . . I'm naive enough . . . to believe you?"

"No really stop!" she said as she moved away. "Look." she pointed towards the bushes.

Sayura, though still a suspicious, looked over to her back and found a little child panting and terrified at their sight. They both were looking at him; it appeared they had seen something horrific.

Both the friends exchanged glances and started moving towards him. He appeared to be an Uchiha as well. He started to come towards them too.

"They-they killed all!" He cried.

Both the ladies' eyes widened. There was bewilderedness on their faces. They noticed there was some blood on the child's clothes, there was a patch of dust too as if he had fallen and one of his slippers were off as well.

"Calm down and tell us what happened, clearly." Sayura spoke.

"They-they killed everyone!" and he sob uncontrollably. "They killed all of them."

"Who killed who?" Tamiko asked whipping his tears.

"They killed my friends!"

"I don't think he knows who they were." Sayura whispered to Tamiko. "What did they look like? Do you know who they were?"

"The-they had were from some other clan. They had red eyes but a little different-"

"That's enough, dear. Don't worry everything will be fine. Don't cry." Sayura held his face in her palms and said. She then whispered to Tamiko has she hugged him, "I think it is the Chinoike clan."

"But what are they doing here and now?"

"Hell do I know! You go and inform everyone in the clan, I'll try to lure them for some time and take him with you."

She then handed over the child to Tamiko after asking him where he met them. Sayura and Tamiko went different ways from there.

Madara was just getting out of this home entrance after explaining the strategy to everyone. They all were standing outside. Just then he saw Tamiko come with the child still in his hands.

"Lord Madara" she began. "The Chinoikes are here."

"What?" Madara was shocked. Everyone was looking at Tamiko with their mouths agape.

"Yes, my lord. This child," she stopped briefly and then handed over him to one of the men standing before going near Madara. "This child and his friends encountered them, apparently they killed them all. I and Sayura saw him like this."

She spoke softly.

"How many are they in number?" Madara asked.

"God knows, lord. Sayura went to delay them so that I could inform you."

Madara turned to Kosuke standing beside him and spoke, "Yet another unexpected arrival." Then he turned back to Tamiko and said, "Very well then. Tell everyone it's time to protect our land."

"Yes my lord!"

And she went away. Madara then spoke to all his men, "We will have to prepone our plan. The Chinoikes are here. Go and defend our land!"

"Yes lord!" they said in chorus.

"And sir Kosuke, take care of the child."

Kosuke nodded his head once and Madara went inside to prepare himself.


	8. Chapter 8

**NOTE FROM AUTHOR** : Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter, I got busy in certain things and events. Thank you for staying with me for so long. I hope you like the chapter. Any suggestions or improvements are whole-heartedly welcomed! Contact me through instagram the_ghost_of_uchiha_ **official**

(SOMEOF THE ITALICS AND BOLD WORDS WERE LOST DUE TO SOME ERROR. APOLOGIES.)

 **Chapter 8**

 **As The Curtain Falls**

"Lord Madara. . . There is no use . . . in trying to do it . . . it won't help. Nothing can . . . they would come . . . for me one day. Today it is." Kosuke said to Madara who held him in his arms, as Kosuke's blood flowed from the deep wounds on his body. Kosuke had reached the last adobe of his life. It was the end for him. The sun was dying out, so was Kosuke. But how did this come to pass? How did he know this will happen? Who came for him and left him like this? Where was everyone else? And was he so weak as to let anyone just take life away from him?

After getting the news about the coming of the Chinoike, everyone had either taken position or was about to. Not everyone was sent to fight as Madara was able to do some planning within the little time he had. In a nutshell everyone was somehow ready to take the fight.

Soon the attackers appeared and the fight began. Without a single exchange of any word, both of them started to put in all their efforts in defeating the other. Both the clans, being equally able, were giving a tough time to each other.

But their coming here meant they had gone past Sayura. Well they would have, considering their number, which was nearly as much as half the current population in the Uchiha clan. No matter how strong you are if you are outnumbered; you are outdone. Same must have happened with Sayura. But then she did not face them with the intention of defeating them but rather delaying their arrival, which she did as they did not come all at once rather their number increased slowly.

The air was filled with names of jutsus, sounds of weapons, screams, groans, and grunts. Apparently, the leader of the Chinoike clan had come too, and the fight he was giving to Madara was worth watching.

"Have to say you have indeed got something in you." Madara remarked, blocking his attack with his gunbai. "But it is still not enough to win over me. Uchiha reflection. "

The gunbai nullified the effect of the attack, made by the opposite leader (Ryuu Chinoike), by converting the incoming chakra into Wind nature transformation, which then reflected upon him and threw him away. He landed near the borders of the settlement.

The plan was to take the Chinoikes as far from the settlement as possible for two reasons: one, so that they can be taken down easily and second that they are not able to use their Exploding Human Technique on large scale. Therefore, the main motive of everyone was to push them outside the borders. And Madara had managed to get the main pillar out; as he believed by doing so he is breaking the entire clan's strength by taking out their leading pillar.

Ryuu had crashed against the wall of one of the houses; he got upon and brushed off the dust from his mustard vest. He had finely cut small pale hairs, his outfit was quite old looking at its condition and his bloody eyes on his faded face were like burning coal.

"Why do you still try to compete against us? Don't you remember how your clan was _dragged_ to the Valley of Hell? Or do you think all of a sudden you have suddenly got the strength to compete against us?" Madara said with a smirk on his face, as he came where his opponent had crashed.

"We have not forgotten anything, Uchiha Madara, for if we had we would not have had this fire inside us that is waiting to burn down your clan!" he yelled and his face turned like that of a madman.

"Well then, if you want the remaining of your clan to be slaughtered, then it is the one thing I will be doing with pleasure, but not inside my clan."

He said and they both activated their genjutsus. The intensity increased. The red eyes were to compete with each other, in a battle. Both, equally capable, equally able, equally committed. Madara saw Ryuu take out a kunai and got alert. But instead of attacking with it he cut his arm and then let his blood fall onto the ground, forming a puddle. And then, after he murmured some inaudible phrase, from the puddle rose what looked like tentacles. Madara saw them advancing towards him to crush him. Madara saw one of them overhead coming downwards with force and leapt backwards, a thudding was produced after it hit the place where he was standing before he escaped. Then another one of those reeking tentacles came to slam him but Madara was able to get away yet again. And then another one and then another.

"Well I guess it's time I level up." Madara said with care freeness. His eyes changed design. In a split second they changed from the three tomoe sharingan to a mangekyou sharingan.

Meanwhile, Sayura was in forest, injured. She was trying to heal herself with the little healing jutsu she knew. There were a few corpses around her, which she had managed to eliminate from the whole. She desperately wanted to go help the others but she couldn't get up and thus she had no choice but to sit there.

"Ugh! This idea of revenge never seems logical to me." she said rather irritated. "What do we have to do with what our ancestors did with each other?! They are all dead, it hardly matters."

"But . . . that is what . . . we have received . . . from them." came the voice of one of the person who Sayura had assumed dead but apparently wasn't.

"So, you still have a little life left in you, eh? Well if I were you I would perhaps ask for forgiveness of my sins rather than waste my breath over such trivial things."

"This is matter . . . of utter importance."

"Everything is trivial once you're dead, dear." she said and gave a small laugh. "Now that you are willing to waste your last moments, please do care to tell me why did you choose to make a sudden attack when there was a battle to be held soon? And if you did want it to be earlier, why attack the settlements, you must be aware it is not allowed?"

"Didn't the Uchiha . . . do the same to us?!"

" _Ah lord_! Not that again. But surely that is not the reason."

"Whether you . . . believe it or . . . not is up to you-"

"Oh, he passed, didn't he?" she said with no emotions. "Hm, but why would they do that?" she thought to herself.

Many years ago, a woman of the Chinoike clan married the Land of Lightning's daimyo. The daimyo's first wife became jealous of her, and when the daimyo died soon after their marriage the first wife blamed the woman and her clan for the daimyo's death. Many believed the first wife's lies, causing the entire Chinoike clan to be banished from the country. The Uchiha clan were hired to carry out this task, since it was believed only they could compete with them, and they forced the Chinoike clan to settle in the Valley of Hell in the Land of Hot Water. The Chinoike clan since then had always wished for revenge and today they had come to realise it. Although the main query was that if there was a battle to be held in a couple of days, then why would they attack so suddenly? That was the thing going on in everybody's mind.

"So, you were able to escape that, eh?" said Ryuu.

"Did you think these eyes of mine are that weak that I won't be able to come out the genjutsu you had casted? My eyes are far more superior to yours." said Madara about his mangekyou sharingan, proudly.

By this time they had come considerably far away from the settlement area. They were surrounded by tall green trees of the nearby forest. They hadn't entered it yet though.

"We will see about that." said Ryuu and came ranging towards Madara with his sword. Madara blocked it with his gunbai and stroked his scythe on Ryuu's abdomen but he avoided it by a sudden and quick movement. Madara tried to strike him again and again, and with each strike he pushed him closer to the forest. Bit by bit he was moving into the forest but soon Ryuu realised that he had come near the forest he had passed through when he was coming towards the settlement. And then he jumped over Madara spun in the air and landed behind the Uchiha leader and went to strike his back. Madara turned around quickly and moved aside enough for Ryuu to pass by him without hurting him, though a slight cut appeared in his attire's sleeve near his arm. A little blood gushed out as well.

"Missed by a whisker." Ryuu commented with his back still turned towards Madara. Madara took this opportunity and with his scythe he bisected him from the middle. However, when he did so his whole body turned into blood that fell on the ground. While Ryuu who had stood quietly at a distance, started to run and then he leaped.

"Aaah!" Ryuu uttered with violently. Madara turned around on this and casted at tsukyomi, just in time. Ryuu fell down his sword dropped from his hand. He knelt on his knees.

"Told you my eyes were superior." Madara said with a tint of victory in his voice while looking down on his opponent. "Now then let's finish it before you come out of it, or else I would have to waste more of my chakra on you."

When Madara returned to the settlement area, he found hardly anyone present there. It was quite calm. It didn't appear as if there was some fighting going there dome time ago, except for a few corpses and the blood spots. Madara jumped over the tallest building to see where everyone was. He could hear faint sounds of battle coming from distance. He saw the members of both the sides fighting each other and decided to break to them the news of the demise of Ryuu Chinoike.

He got down the house and landed on the roof of another and then just as he was about to leap over another, he heard a familiar voice call him. The voice was fragile and weak, yet audible.

He turned around but found no one there. But he was sure he heard his name. He looked around once more but still empty and then the voice came again.

"Lord Ma-da-ra." almost breaking and cracking, the voice was coming from the lane below.

Madara looked down and found what he didn't expected. Kosuke was sitting against the wall, bleeding. His hand was placed over his wound, situated a little left to his abdomen, from which the blood was flowing like a stream, coloring his clothes red. There was blood on his hands, on his feet and on his face.

Madara came down in an instant. He sat beside him. There was so much he was longing to know, he didn't know what say! There was horror, worry and anger inside him. He opened his mouth to utter, just then Kosuke interrupted him.

"No need to say-anything, Lord Madara. I know-what you are thinking. How did this happen-all of a sudden? But I always knew. This was the one thing-that was always going-on in my sub-conscious-ness."

"What-what are you talking about?"

"Shh. . . I don't have much time. Stop talking-and listen." he paused. "There is this-one thing that-I want you-to do for me, say-it is my last wish."

"What?! You are no-"

"Shut your . . . mouth, I am dying here. . . Listen, I want you to . . . make sure that Sayura. . . At any cost does not . . . leave the unit, not until. . . Daichi is the . . . head, or else she too might . . . end up like me. That is it, now go . . . carry on your duties."

At this moment, his mind had become a tangled thread. There was a siren going inside his head telling him to go, yet the curiosity inside him wanted to know what Kosuke was talking about.

"Lord Madara. . . I knew it would . . . come to this . . . someday. I knew . . . they would come . . . for me one day. Today it is. Go the . . . battle is still . . . going on."

What was he talking about? Who was going to come and why? And if he knew why didn't he tell me? Madara had these questions popping up in his head. And at the same, his responsibilities were dragging him away from there. He felt as if there were shackles tied to both of his hands pulling him in different directions and he had to let go of one-and he did.

His responsibility weighed more and he left. He knew that no one man mattered more than rest of them together. He had thought what was more important saving a man who had no wish to be saved, or an entire clan that was waiting on him. He got his answer quite soon.

Meanwhile Kosuke still lay there, paying the debts of his breaths. His breathing started getting deeper. His life started to flash in front of his eyes, like a film.

It's a bright sunny morning, his is father teaching him how to wield a sword with the help of bamboo, and he is not perfect at it yet-missing a hit every now and then.

It's mid-July now, he is learning about chakra control and how to use a fire style jutsus. He had been excited about it. Although his father was not ready to teach him but he was kept insist to learn it.

He's standing beside a bed on which his mother lays. There is a tiny hand holding one of his fingers. It is the hand of his little sister. White as snow, her eyes closed and her tiny mouth ajar, in her the mother's arms wrapped up with blanket-so sweet.

He is teaching the little baby girl, who has grown up a little by now, what his father had taught him, although she is not as enthusiastic as he was yet she is doing good. He hates her energy.

A white mist envelopes everything now-just plain whiteness and then a silhouette appears of what looked like a boundary with a gap in between-the entrance to the Uchiha clan. He sees his little sister crying over the death of their father. Her cheeks and eyes are red. In the ceremonial hall he only sees two things: the corpse of his dead father and the shivering body his sister. His body is turning hard, his steps becoming heavier and his eyes wider.

And in a blink, he is at the unit with his sister, lying that he has a brother and not a sister. The 8-years-old girl is working her back off. It is the time when he to proves to everyone how able his she is. And he does. He has proven that despite being a girl she can be in the unit. It has taken so long that now everyone calls her Sayura instead of Sayuri. But at least she is with him.

There's blossoms in the air-it's spring time. He is returning back to the settlements, again. This time he has come for some work but he finds someone he doesn't expect to. In the streets he catches sight of a girl with a pretty face, perhaps one of the prettiest he has ever seen. He asks for directions as the clan had changed since he had left. She directs him. But he says that he doesn't understand, just so he can talk with her just a little longer. For the next few days whenever he sees her, he goes to talk to her, even though sometimes he doesn't even have a topic. And that's just how it begins.

But until he leaves the clan to return back to the unit, he does not realise that he wants to be with Emiko. And then he decides that he will be leaving the unit. Although he knows it is not possible. He just wants to stay there with her, he doesn't have the slightest of idea how he will leave the unit, and he just wants some miracle to happen. He thinks that he and Sir Daichi would have a long discussion over this and probably it won't end well.

He finally tells Sir Daichi and he very firmly says, "You may leave as you wish. But know your actions will have their consequences, and perhaps they would not be very pleasant." With this he leaves and set out for what he has really longed for.

Emiko in her beautiful traditional bridal attire is coming towards him. Perhaps it's the most beautiful day of his life!

It has been two years now. He is walking back and forth the gallery in anticipation outside a room. And then the gate slides open and a lady comes holding a baby boy in her arms and hands him over to Kosuke. He has a few hairs on his head, his eyes are closed, it is just like the first time he saw Sayura. The boy resembled his aunt a bit he says to himself.

The baby is grown now, he is making babbling sounds, his hairs are like his mother's but color resembles his father. He doesn't resemble anyone of them entirely; he has the features of both of them.

It is the morning time of today. He is talking to him; just then Sayura comes to bid morning to them both. He gets up too and leaves him and says goodbye to his wife, Emiko.

Back then who could have guessed it was the last time he was seeing them."I am sorry; I have to leave so suddenly. Please forgive me." he said. A gradual darkness fell over his eyes and all of them were gone, just like he was. Now he had become just one of those corpses that lay over there.

Whilst, Madara reached the site, a few miles away, where the clansmen were fighting vigorously. The number was enormous. It seemed as if the number had increased suddenly.

"Lord Madara has appeared, I bet he has defeat Ryuu." one of the Uchiha said to another.

It didn't take long for all to notice him, since he was standing at a heightened building. All those who where there glanced at him, anticipating an answer or declaration, which they soon got as Madara announced that he had indeed defeated Ryuu. After that he gave an offer to the Chinoikes between leaving the place immediately or facing the consequences of not doing so. Eventually, the second in command after the dead leader of the clan decided that they will leave. The victory was theirs.

The Chinoikes, although, were not left so easily. They had to follow the rules that every losing side has to after a battle or war. But the compensations that used to be given had never made up for the loss of the lost. Despite of growing habitual to this lifestyle, all clansmen of all the clans, still used to feel the tinge of pain, for their hearts might have become stones but more than often they used to have a soft corner that had not ceased to exist. They might not weep or show any sort of emotion on the external self, but inside their heads there was panic, grief and sorrow. In case of other clans it might not ever be visible, but the Uchiha were different. While experiencing a grave loss of the loved one, their eyes often used to show their sorrow. And so was the case this time.

After a battle had been fought between two clans, the clansmen were allowed to carry the bodies that belonged to them, to their clan for cremation purposes. This time wasn't an exception either.

The dead were brought inside the mourning hall where they were laid in coffins for the family members to greet once before the cremation takes place. It was evening by now the sun had almost set. Just then came a late bidder, the one Madara had been a slight anxious about. It was sister of a dead, it was Sayura.

Earlier the news of the demise was conveyed only to Emiko, as at that time Sayura was nowhere to be found and when she was brought back by Tamiko, she was not in a suitable condition. Hence, it was considered better that to inform her about it. But eventually it was to be revealed, and it was since they could not keep the bodies for long. Although the cremation was delayed by some hours due to this reason, it didn't use to happen often.

Sayura and Emiko had come together, since the former still needed recovery. She did not weep much but her red eyes talked of her tears. Perhaps she had cried before coming. It wasn't expected of a shinobi to lose control of their emotions publicly. And that's what she was doing, apparently. They both went towards the only coffin whose lid was open, and gazed at the pale and lifeless face of the person who lay inside it. Sayura was left alone at this point, for Emiko had gone out of the hall into the corridor where Madara had stood all along. Dead silence stood between them. Inside, Sayura had her hands gently stroking the face of her brother. She felt suffocates by the voice that struggled to come out of her mouth but was being held at her throat by her. There were words and cries that wanted to ooze out, but she held it back like one hold back when one feels like throwing up. She lost her strength; her head fell on side of the coffin. And on the ground below her appeared drops that fell from her eyes. She swallowed the voices in her throat and let them out of her eyes.

After nearly fifteen minutes, Emiko peeped inside the room and found Sayura sitting beside the coffin on the ground. In a crackling voice she asked if she was alright. But she wasn't able to complete her sentence, the same voice that were in the throat of Sayura, choked her too. Sayura, though lost, heard her and tired to get up, stumbling a little. Emiko helped her all that she could. They went out and went straight. They didn't bid Madara who still stood where he was. But he understood. He always did, for everyone. He empathized with those who had lost their loved ones since he knew how it felt. Moreover, he had seen numerous people come, he knew that since they are too occupied lamenting over their loss that they lose sense of worldly manners.

Soon afterwards, he gave a green flag for the cremation and one by one the coffins were taken. This was when the unit head, Daichi came in. He said to Madara that he desired to have a little talk with him of utmost importance. He also mentioned that it could not wait. Madara's instincts said that it must be about the attack, and probably he must be questioning his capabilities, which though he shouldn't. Immediately, they both went inside a nearby room and sat facing each other.

"What is that you want to discuss?" Madara questioned suspiciously.

"I know whose hand was behind the attack." Daichi replied. "It is not the Chinoike clan alone."

Madara sat there baffled.

"But before I inform you about it, there are certain things you must know about the Unit and its workings."

"What does it have to with it?"

" **Everything**. Long ago, when the other missionary clans started emerging, it became difficult to keep track of all and every detail and information about them- their abilities, chakras, jutsus, leaders, and members and so on. Even the prominent clan like ours started facing problems. Thus, the Uchiha Unit-08 was formed. Initially it had only 8 members, therefore the number '08'. Though in the start the unit had only worked for its own clan, but later on it started working for others as well in return of heavy remuneration. This lead to the Unit working individually of the clan. For ages it had worked like that. The members of the Unit drafted certain rules and regulations, which were to be abided by all the members. These were extremely strict and rigid. And this is where the problem arose."

"The members weren't able to follow them?"

"Well, apparently there is this one particular rule that a number of people throughout time have failed to follow. As a result, quite leniency is and has always been offered by the heads throughout the generations. But even so, some have the nerve to test our limits and cross them as well. And this time, it further leads to something that the entire clan had to suffer."

Madara found himself catching up on things, but he did not jump to conclusions and let the older man explain himself. Daichi told him that there was a specific rule that stated that _'no member shall have a life or a part of it dedicated to the clan and its workings_.'

The rule restricted the members to have any relationship with the clan or any person from the clan. Although throughout the time, the members had been allowed to keep relationships with the people but they would have to keep themselves away from the clan's working and some other restrictions were imposed too.

Kosuke, who had joined the Unit at a tender age, was also one of the people to do so. But his case was different than others in some ways. While Daichi had no problem with him marring Emiko, a clan woman, he couldn't tolerate it when he left the Unit and became the chief of the clan force. That enraged him. He had warned the young man that he a hold be rational and logical and should consider all the consequences of his actions, rather than acting hastily. But it seemed to the head as he states that he was ' _blinded by love'_. Thus, Daichi told Madara, that he had to face the grave inevitability.

"If we would have killed him right away then, the foolish younger generation would have been affected adversely. Furthermore, new recruitments would not have come due to fear." Daichi explained.

"So you staged a whole attack and grabbed the opportunity to kill him, _isn't it right_?" Madara said in a low dark voice, with his head bowed that his face was shadowed.

"Well yes." He said hesitantly. "We had no other choice remaining."

In a split second, Madara stood and grabbed him by the collar. His eyes were filled with rage. If it were in his hands, he would suffocate him with his bare hands.

" **You old nut head**! What do you mean you had no choice? How did you even dream about putting my clan in danger for your menial rule? You put the entire clan under siege! Do you even realise that, you good-for-nothing old scavenger! You put all the lives under danger to satisfy yourself, for an idiotic rule! **Are you out of your wits**?"

"I understand your emotions, Lord Madara." He said plainly. "But I am not that of an idiot to not take any measures. I had analysed the strength of the opponent beforehand. In addition to this, I had my men positioned all around the village, keeping an eye on all the movements of the opponent. I had made arrangements for the worst case scenario, which I did not think would happen and so it didn't. Therefore, I would say to resent over it is a pure waste. It is all over."

" _Waste_? You think the life of all those people who died was a pure waste? It indeed it is all over!" He paused for a moment and calmed himself down. "I cannot let you continue. You will have to leave."

"And on what grounds will you be doing so? Will you say to the people that you further have no trust in the Unit? Or will you say that we had a hand in what happened? What will you do?" He raised a brow. "Imagine the trust that will break in their eyes. After all, they were betrayed by their own people. It would be so hard for them to ever trust us back. Even if I leave."

"I would just say that you weren't working up to my expectations."

"Rumors walk faster than the truth, and change its appearance it goes through one ear to another. Who knows they will start thinking it was you all along. I am going to die soon, eventually; you would not want to die with me, would you? And then imagine this news spreading to all of the clans, such ill would be said of our clan."

Daichi reasoned with Madara all that he could and left after precisely telling why he should just let it slide.

Madara though, was alone thinking about what he should do. Should he tell the truth? Or should he care of a greater bond of sentiment? He had not taken a stand in front of Daichi yet, he remained silent. It wasn't that he feared him or anyone else, but the prestige of his clan shall never be blotted.

The entire night he spent in the thoughts of the entire incident, viewing and reviewing all its consequences and happenings.


End file.
